Ayodhya, November 25: If the BJP cannot take the initiative to build the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya then it should admit that promising in the 2014 manifesto to explore all constitutional options was another ‘jumla’, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said on Sunday.
Speaking to the press at his hotel before leaving for Mumbai, Thackeray questioned the BJP on the options they had explored in the past four-and-a-half years.
“If you will simply wait for the Supreme Court verdict, then say so and admit that promising to explore all options under the Constitution was just another jumla,” he said. “If the BJP government continues to dither on Ram Mandir, then the Ram Mandir will surely come up but the BJP will not form the next government,” said Thackeray reiterating the ‘Pahle mandir, phir sarkar’ (First mandir, then government) slogan.
He said that Chief Minister Adityanath recently stated “there was, is and would be a mandir” in Ayodhya.
“But this is only our faith. When would it the mandir be visible? That is what I want to know.”
“Bring a law or an ordinance but build the mandir. We will support you. But stop using the issue for mere political gains,” warned Thackeray.
Thackeray said that former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had said that Hindus were no longer fearful. “But his was a mixed government and he could not take the initiative for a mandir. But the present government is a powerful one still no initiative for a mandir. The Hindu is not going to accept this and continue questioning the government to declare a date for the mandir,” said the Shiv Sena chief.
Speaking of his visit to the makeshift Ram temple earlier in the day, Thackeray said that the place definitely gave spiritual vibes.
Referring to the high security in the makeshift temple the Shiv Sena chief said: “When I was going to the mandir, it felt as if I was visiting a jail”.
Thackeray, however, parried questions about violence against people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in Maharashtra claiming that one should not make judgements from a distance.
“We are capable and doing our duty. Sitting here please don’t pass judgements,” he retorted.
Within hours of Thackeray demanding to know the date of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on Saturday Chief Minister government released the model of the proposed Ram statue to come up in Ayodhya.
Principle Secretary Information Avanish Awashti released a photo of the statue late last night stating that the 151 metre tall statue would have a 20 metre chattra (canopy) and a 50 metre pedestal. The total height would hence be 221 metres.
